CDMO Cambrex has sold its Drug Product business unit to Noramco. Terms were not disclosed. The business comprises product development, clinical and commercial manufacturing and packaging from facilities in Mirabel, Québec, and Whippany, New Jersey.

CEO Thomas Loewald described this as “the result of a strategic decision to focus on core areas of growth and investment”. The company will henceforth prioritise its drug substance and analytical testing businesses, which are based across 13 sites worldwide, including the recently acquired Snapdragon Chemistry and Q1 Scientific.

Italian CDMO Olon Group has announced a €10 million, multi-year expansion plan for its production site in Mahad, India. This will increase its chemical synthesis capacity for intermediates and APIs by 45%, particularly for products in high demand where Olon is already the market leader.

Aashi Mishra shares some highlights from a recent Research Nester study

Oleochemicals are chemicals that are obtained from fats and oils, both vegetable and animal. They find use across diverse industries and are gaining popularity owing to their eco-friendly and sustainable characteristics.

Oleochemicals have a range of qualities, including being biodegradable, low toxicity levels and being derived from renewable sources. Moreover, they can be customised to exhibit attributes like enhanced lubrication or increased solubility.

Private equity investor Advent International has completed the acquisition of 50.1% stake in Indian CDMO Suven Pharma for $5.95/share, as originally agreed in December 2022. This will shortly trigger an open offer for the remaining 26% not being retained by the founding Jasti family. The move follows approval by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in August.

Ahead of his session at CPHI Barcelona, Lawrence De Belder, continuous manufacturing practice head at Pharmatech Associates, answers some questions on the transformative impact of CM on the pharmaceutical industry

Why does batch processes have quality traps? Why will CM be the next generation on quality?

India’s Navin Fluorine International has officially launched its CDMO division under the name Navin Molecular. The company has been providing chemistry services since 2010 and is launching the band “to showcase the broad platform that Navin Molecular can offer” in terms of geographical diversity and expertise in a range of complex chemistries.

Lonza has extended two ongoing collaborations with unnamed major biopharmaceutical companies. One covers the commercial-scale filling of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), the other bioconjugation. Financial details were not disclosed in either case.

As part of the former partnership, Lonza will build a dedicated line at its site in Stein, Switzerland, for the aseptic filling of highly potent ADCs and lyophilisation under containment. The new line is expected to be operational in 2027 and to create about 115 new jobs at peak capacity.